New house - new system

[tenebros]

Buying a new house and with it came a request from my wife for smaller speakers. While my system is not the best, I tend to like it and have some plans for some upgrades, but maybe I just need to start over.

My System:

2 DCM12A Towers (used for surround, 2 channel, and house parties)
1 DCM Center Channel (love this center channel over the previous one)
2 rear sony surrounds (from in the box and need to be replaced)
1 Sony Subwoofer (decent)
1 Sony HT Reciever

New house has an open large down stairs. The Family room is open to the left side to the kitchen and breakfast nook with a half wall, the right side there is a window type half wall to the den, the rear is an exterior wall and the front of the room has a built in media center half wall that opens to the formal dining and living room. The media center is pointed at a 45 degree towards the corner made by the breakfast nook. Room is roughly 16x20. I can post floor plan if that would help understand the area.

Wife would prefer to see as little of spearkers as possible and likes Bose. While I know Bose are over priced, the product has its advantages. The new systems offer something like 5.1, DVD/CD player, 340 hours of saved music and supports like 8 wireless speakers. Looks like a small foot print all around.

I prefer the full range of sound that I hear with the current system and do not want to lose sound range. Can anyone suggest a system with the features offered by Bose, including the small speaker size, but better quality, full range of sound, and less then or equal to the price of a Bose pacakge? With small speakers would I still be able to use 5.1, 2 channel and host house parties / karaoke?

Considering -

Bose Lifestyle 48
Orb Audio Speakers 7.1 pacakge and a new HT unit
Keeping what I have
Home Builder installed 5.1 surround speakers in wall (can't really take them with me if I move)
Open to opinions